Is another oil and gas land-rush starting in Athens?

Another firm offers low up-front bonuses for local oil & gas rights

Based on recently released geological data from state experts, the price Athens County landowners believe they can get for oil-and-gas drilling leases has plunged dramatically in the last couple of months.

Property owners mulling options in wake of 3rd offer

Cunningham Energy trying to retain major acreage interest in Athens Co.

County’s new senator rallies troops at Dem dinner

Athens County's newest state senator gave a rousing shout-out to organized labor, and leveled a few crisp head-butts at the state's current Republican leadership, when he spoke to the Athens County Democratic Party at a fundraising dinner last week.

Tanning parlor fights to get back into uptown Athens storefront

The owner of a new uptown Athens tanning parlor was in court last week, asking a judge to order her landlord, who has locked her out for not paying rent on time, to let her re-open for business.

High St. student renters take on big local landlord

Local developers hoping to revive struggling hotel

The owners of the Baymont Inn & Suites, a 100-room motel on Home Street in Athens, have agreed to let the property be foreclosed upon and sold.

Landowners want minerals owner to pay more taxes

The scramble to lease up mineral rights in Athens County for potential oil-and-gas drilling has inspired some landowners who don't own their minerals to try to get the company that does to pay a bigger chunk of their property tax bills.

OU and city officials urge better fest behavior

At town meeting, OU president declares, 'We are better than this'

The emphasis was on shared town-gown pride Wednesday, when Athens and Ohio University officials hosted a public forum to air concerns about the recent Palmer Fest student block party. The annual student outdoor street fest was shut down April 28 by police after an arson fire was set in a student rental home on Palmer Street.

Local developer seeks permit for Utica production/test well

Hayes and partner may sink a well before Cunningham drills one

With a West Virginia oil-and-gas company reportedly ready to commit to drilling five vertical test wells into Athens County's part of the Utica shale play, a local developer has just applied for a permit to drill his own well here.

Cunningham Energy offers new deal to fund its test-drilling plans in Athens County

Landowners with leases would get very small up-front bonus payments with prospects for much more later

Another chapter has opened in the drama that began last fall when a West Virginia oil and gas company came into Athens and started throwing theoretical money around.